368 THE HISTORY OF CREATION. 



which, notwithstanding the much vaunted civilization of 

 our century, we are still plunged. For, unfortunately, it 

 is only too true, as Alfred Wallace remarks with regard 

 to this, at the end of his book of travels : " Compared 

 with our wondrous progress in physical science and its 

 practical applications, our system of government, of admin- 

 istering justice, of national education, and our whole social 

 and moral organisation remains in a state of barbarism." 



This social and moral bai'barism we shall never overcome 

 by the artificial and perverse training, the one-sided and 

 defective teaching, the inner untruth and the external tinsel, 

 of our present state of civilization. It is above all things 

 necessary to make a complete and honest return to Nature 

 and to natural relations. This return, however, will only 

 become possible when man sees and understands his true 

 " place in nature." He will then, as Fritz Ratzel has 

 excellently remarked,*'' "no longer consider himself an 

 exception to natural laws, but begin to seek for what is 

 lawful in his own actions and thoughts, and endeavour 

 to lead a life according to natural laws." He wiU come 

 to arrange his life with his fellow- creatures — that is, the 

 family and the state — not according to the laws of distant 

 centuries, but according to the rational principles deduced 

 from knowledge of nature. Polities, morals, and the prin- 

 ciples of justice, which are still drawn from all possible 

 sources, will have to be formed in accordance with natural 

 laws only. An existence wm^thy of man, which has been talked 

 of for thousands of years, will at length become a reality. 



The highest function of the human mind is perfect know- 

 ledge, fuUy developed consciousness, and the moral activity 

 arising from it. " Baiow thyself ! " was the cry of the philo- 



